Sheet-feeding apparatus



A. BROADMEYER.

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATIOL FILED FEB-6,1920,

1 ,408,688, Patented Mar. 7, 1922,

3 SHhETS-SHEET I.

9 2222-2 7;; z z; 2, 2; z z. z. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO avwew for 35% Wm W A.BROADMEYER.

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FlLED FEB. 6 1920'.

1,408,688. Patented Mal 7, 1922.;

a SHEETS-SHEETZ.

anvamfoz A BROADMEYER.

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. s, 1920.

1 ,408,688, Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

Snow 1; toz

' ing mechanism and the like.

unrruo STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT BROADMEYER, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO W. O. HICKOKMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A.

CORPORATION OF PEN N SYLVAN IA.

SHEET-FEEDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922..

Application filed February 6, 1920. Serial No. 356,685.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. ALBERT BROADMEYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSheet- Feeding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to sheet feeding means, and moreparticularly to mechanism for feeding paper sheets to rulln a morespecific aspect, the invention may be considered as an improvement on myformer Patent, No. 1183,6265, May 16, 1916.

The object is to provide feeding means using air sucti'on or vacuumcontrollingmeans that is exceedingly quick and accurate in action.

A further object is to provide convenient means whereby the amount ofvacuum can be readily regulated and maintained, thereby making theapparatus variable in its action. so that it; will properly feed heavycardboard or thin light paper.

A still further object is to provide a structure that is compact,readily accessible, and simple in construction.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation andsomewhat diagrammatic in its character, illustrating the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view indicating the action of the feedingmeans.

Figure 4. is a longitudinal sectional view through the controlling valvemechanism,

Figure 5 is a similar view at right angles to Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a detail face view illustrating the operation of the vacuumcontrolling valve,

Figure 7 is a valve.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

The feeding apparatus generally may be of th type disclosed in theformer Patent, No. 1,183.626. and to simplify the present disclosure asfar as possible, only parts essential to the present invention have beenillustrated. As in the patented structure,

plan view of the plunger a rotatable feeding cylinder 8 is employed,

having a central perforated portion 9 enclosing a suction or vacuum box10. The underside of this box fits the inner face of the perforatedportion of the cylinder 8, and is provided with a longitudinal slot 11,across which the rows of perforations pass, as will be readilyunderstood by reference to the afore-mentioned patent, and to Figures 2and 3 of the present drawings. Connected to the box at one end, is anexhaust conduit 12 that is coupled to a vacuum pump (not shown), whichmay be of any desired character.

This conduit includes a valve casing 13 having a passageway 14 extendinglongitudinally therethrough, and forming a part of the passagewa of theconduit 12. The valve casing is provided with an integral ear or bracket15', by which it can be readily fastened to any suitable part of theframe of the machine. Intersecting the passageway 14 is a valve chamber16 in the form of a transversely disposed open-ended bore, and in thischamber is fitted a reciprocatory plunger valve 17 having a centralreduced portion 18, constituting a port that is mova-ble into and out ofregister with the passageway 14. The valve 17 is held against removal bycotter pins 19 passing therethrough and located on opposite sides of thevalve casing. One end of the valve is furthermore bifurcated to providea pair of ears 20. It will be evident, particularly by reference toFigure 4 that the valve may be shifted to the right to close thpassageway 14, and when moved to the left, as illustrated in Figure 4:,the passageway is opened.

The valve casing 13 is furthermore provided at the side of the valve 17which is opposite to the sheet actuating suction means with a reliefport 21 that is in communication with the passageway 14. This port iscontrolled by a swinging valve plate 22 pivoted between its ends uponthe valve casing, as illustrated at 23, and thus adapted to cover anduncover the port 21. The upper end of the valve plate 22 is providedwith an enlarged friction head 24 that slides against the frictionsurface 25 formed on the valve casing 13, and to insure frictionalcontact a coiled spring 26, surrounding the pivot 23, bears against thevalve plate, and thus yieldingly urges it against the friction surface25 and the flat seat surrounding the port 21. The portion of the valveplate 22 which constitutes a closure for the port 21, is provided with aplurality of supplemental ports 27 that are in communication with theport 21 when the valve is closed, and these supplemental ports in turnare controlled by a rotary valve disk 28 journaled on a pivot screw 29fixed in the valve plate, the disk 28, havin ports 30 that are movableinto and out o register with the ports 27. The valve disk 28 is heldfrictionally against the face of the valve plate 22 by a spring 31surrounding the pivot 29 and bearing against said disk.

A vacuum gauge or register 32 is mounted on the valve casing 13, beingconnected by a pipe 33 to said casing, and communicating with thepassageway 14 on the side of the valve 17 that is opposite to the sheetactuating suction means.

The plunger valve 17 is adapted to be periodically actuated insynchronism with the apparatus to which the paper is to be fed, and anysuitable mechanism may be employed. Thus in Figure 1, a cam 34 isillustrated, having a drop shoulder 35, a dwell portion 36 extendingfrom the drop shoulder to the point A, a raise portion 37 from the pointA to the point B, and a dwell portion 38 from the point A to the dropshoulder 35. A swinging arm 39 is provided with a bearing element 40that rides on the periphery of the cam. The swinging arm furthermore hasa suitable link connection 41 with the cars 20 of the plunger valve 17.Surrounding the link 41 is a coiled spring 42 having a bearing at oneend against a collar 43 on the link, and at its other end against aportion 44 of the frame of the machine. The valve plate 22 is connectedto a link 45 that may be in turn coupled to any suitable manualactuating means.

Briefly described, the operation of the structure is as follows. If theair is withdrawn from the'conduit 12, it will be obvious that a partialvacuum will be created in the box 10, providing the valve 22 is closedand the plunger valve 17 is open. If, however, the plunger valve isclosed, the vacuum in the box 10 will be destroyed, but the vacuum willremain in the conduit 12 between the vacuum producing means and saidvalve 17. The amount of this vacuum is indicated on the gauge 32, andcan be controlled by turning the valve disk 28, so that the ports 30thereof are more or less in alignment with the ports 27, as will bereadily understood.

. Assuming both the valves 22 and 17 closed,

with vacuum in the conduit 12, it will be evident that if the cam 34 isrotated, the plunger valve will be eriodically opened, consequentlywithdrawing air periodically from the box 10 and successively picking upthe sheets, as indicated in Figure 3, the rotating cylinder moving themon to the feeding mechanism. The amount of vacuum can, as alreadydisclosed, be controlled by the disk valve, so that the action of themechanism can be varied to properly pick up either heavy cardboard orthe thinnest paper. Whenever it is desired to stop the action of themechanism, it is only necessary to operate the rod 45'and throw thevalve plate 22 to open position, whereupon air can freely enter throughthe port 21 and substantially eliminate any suction in the box 10.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, I operation andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,'wl1at I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus of the character set forth, the'combination with sheetactuating suction means, of vacuum mechanism therefor including a valvecasing located adjacent to the suction means and having a pa$agewaytherethrough and a relief port that communicates with the passageway, avalve sup ported by the valve casing and controlling the passageway, andanother valve also supported by the valve casing and controlling therelief port.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, the comblnation with sheetactuating suction means, of vacuum mechanism therefor including a valvecasing'having a passageway therethrough and a relief port thatcommunicates with the passageway, a valve supported by the valve casingand controlling the passageway. and another valve also supported by thevalve casing and controlling the relief port,said latter valve alsohaving a port that communicates with the relief port when the said valveis in closed position thereover.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with sheetactuating suction means, of vacuum mechanism therefor including a valvecasing having a passageway tion with sheet actuating suction means, of

' a conduit connected to the sheet actuating means for withdrawing airfrom the suction means, a valve for closing and opening the passagewaythrough the conduit, said conduit having an inlet port-contiguous to thevalve, and manual means that will maintain itself where placed forcontrolling the port.

5. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of a conduit connected to the sheet actuating means forwithdrawing air from the suction means, a valve for closing and openingthe passageway through the conduit, and means for continuously admittinga variable amount of air to the conduit on: the side of the valveopposite to the suction means.

6. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of'

a conduit connected to the sheet actuating means for withdrawing 'airfrom the suctlon means, said valve including a valve casing having avalve chamber and a relief port, a valve in the chamber controlling thepass sageway of the conduit, and means for controlling the port andmaintaining it more or less open. i

7. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of a conduit connected to the sheet actuating means forwithdrawing air from the suction means, said conduit including a valvecasing having a passageway provided with an inlet connected to thesuction means and an outlet for connection with vacuum producing means,said casing having a valve chamber. intersecting the passageway, and arelief port communicating with the passageway, a valve in the chambercontrolling the passageway of the conduit, and means mounted on thevalve casing for controlling the port. V

' 13. In sheet feeding means, thecombination with sheet actuatingsuction means, of

8. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of a conduit connected to the sheet actuating means forwithdrawing air from the suction means, said conduit including a valvecasing having a pasageway provided with an inlet connected to thesuction means and an outlet for connection with vacuum producing means,said casing having a valve chamber intersecting the passageway, and arelief port communicating with the passageway on the side of the valvechamber opposit/e to the inlet, a valve in the chamber controlling thepassageway, and means controlling the relief port and maintainingit moreor less open.

9. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans,"of a conduit connected to the sheet actuating means forwithdrawing air from the suction means. said conduit including a valvecasing having a passageway provided with an inlet connected to thesuction means and an outlet for connection with vacuum producing means,said casing having a valve chamber intersecting the passageway, and arelief port communicating with the passageway, a yalve controlling thepassageway, and

a rotary valve operating over the port and having a port that is movableinto and out of register therewith.

10. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of an exhaust conduit connected thereto and including a valvecasing having a valve chamber communicating with the passageway of theconduit, and a relief, port also communicating with the passageway, avalve controlling the passageway, and a valve adapted to be fixed indifferent positions for controllin the amount of air that passes throu ht e port.

11. n sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of an exhaust conduit connected thereto and including a valvecasing having a valve chamber. communicating with the passageway of theconduit and a relief port also communicating with the passageway, avalve controlling the passageway, and a swinging valve controlling theport and movable to an exhaust conduit connected thereto and having arelief port, a swinging valve controlling the port, a pivot for thevalve mounted on the conduit at one side of the port, a -frictionsurface against which the valve-bears, and means fo r yieldingly holdingthe valve against said surface.

"'14, In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuatingsuction means, of an exhaust conduit connected thereto and having arelief port, a swinging valve pivoted between its ends and having oneend movable over the port, a friction surface against which the otherend bears, and a spring operating against the valve to hold it againstsaid surface.

15. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of an exhaust conduit connected thereto and having a relief port,a valve movable over the port, and means carried by said valve foradmitting a variable amount of air to cates with the first port whenthe,valve is closed, and means on the valve for controlling the'secondport.

18. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of

an exhaust conduit connected thereto and having a relief port,a swingingvalve movable to and from a position over the port and having a portcommunicating therewith, and a rotary valve on the swinging valve forcontrolling the second port. V 19. In sheet feeding means, thecombination with sheet actuating suction means, of an exhaust conduitconnected thereto and including a valve casing having a valve chamberintersecting the passageway of the conduit and a relief portcommunicating with said passageway, a valve in the chamber controllingthe passageway, means for periodically actuating the valve, a valve controlling the port and having a port that communicates with said port,and a valve on the first valve controlling the second port.

20. In sheet feeding means, the combinationwith sheet actuating suctionmeans, of an exhaust conduit connected thereto and including a valvecasing having a valve chamber intersecting the passageway of the conduitand a relief port communicating with said passageway, a reciprocatoryplunger valve in the chamber controlling the passageway, means forperiodically reciprocating the plunger valve, a swinging valve pivotedon the casing and controlling the port, said swinging" valve having asu' plemental relief port, andv a valve yourna ed on the I swingingvalve and controlling the supplemental port.

21. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of an exhaust conduit connected thereto, a valve movable to closeand open-the assageway of the conduit, said conduit having a reliefport'on the opposite side of the valve to the suction means, meansmovable to different fixed positions for controlling the relief valve tomaintain the same continuously open to a greater or less extent,'and avacuum indicator connected to the conduit on the side of the valvehaving the relief port.

22. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuating suctionmeans, of

an exhaust conduit connected thereto and including a valve casing havinga relief port communicating with the passageway of the conduit, a valvein the casing between the port and the suction means, mechanism forperiodically actuating the valve, means adjustableto different fixedpositions for controlling the port and leaving it open to a greater orless degree, and a vacuum indicator connected to the valve casing on theopposite side of the valve to the suction means.

' 23. In sheet feeding means, the combination with sheet actuatingsuction means, of an exhaust conduit connected thereto and including avalvecasing having a relief port communicating with the passageway ofthe conduit, a reciprocatory plunger valve in the casing between theport and the suction means, mechanism for periodically reciprocating thevalve, a swinging valve pivoted in the casing and controllingthe port,said valve having a supplemental port that communicates with the firstport, a rotary valve on the swinging valve controlling the supplementalport, and a vacuum indicator connected to the valve casing adjacent tothe ort.

p In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT BROADMEYER. Witnesses:

C. M. Bnrrmc'ron, Ross A. HICKOK.

